Welcome to Newman's Needle! This is where I show what I am working on in my little corner of the world. I will mostly put my sewing projects here, but may digress from time to time to other projects in my life.
Grab a mug of tea and come in and sit a spell ...

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Diversions ...

After 48 hours of refereeing Hamster Boy (the child formerly known as Elder Monkey) and the other Monkey, I needed this afternoon of fiddling in the workshop. What made it a bit more special is that the Monkey spent it with me. The last time I was at Wal-Mart, I picked up a beginning sewing kit. Despite the photo on the box, the purse is actually a really bright bubblegum pink. The age is supposed to be 8 and up, but I figured this was a good opportunity to have a mother-daughter activity, so I bought it anyway.

It is a cute little kit, although I am not sure if an 8 y.o. would wear it as I think it is the perfect size for the Monkey. The kit comes with everything you need: a real ravelly boucle fabric and a bad poly stable velour knit for the lining, fancy buttons and a feather boa for embellishment, and a rope for the strap. Thread, snaps and pins were also included. The instructions were written well for an 8 y.o. to follow, but the Monkey can't read yet, so I ignored them for the most part! I did the cutting and pressing and sat her on my lap while sewing. That way she could help feed the fabric through and help me sew. The only changes were to interface the boucle for stability and to zigzag the boa vice whip stitching it. The way she plays with it, it needs the extra strength! Here is my burgeoning seamstress with her pooch pouch:

Of the 10 fitting photos I took while fiddling with dragons, she is in the corner of about 8, intently sewing on her buttons while watching TV in the shop. She loves little moments like this afternoon, as do I, to tell the truth. Many a time I would watch my mother sew clothes for me as I played on the floor. Many a time I wished that she would sit me on her lap and "help" her sew. Unfortunately, her fear of a needle going through a finger proved stronger than my cutie factor ... but she made up for it when I was a teen and she passed on all she knew then! I hope that this little project will ease her jealousy over the Rodent a bit.